The Darkness
by KMountain
Summary: Ryou and Marik truly met for the first time in the shadows. One-shot.


A/N: This takes place sometime between Bakura and Yami Marik's duel and Yami Yugi and Yami Marik's duel. But if that doesn't work, it's an AU.

Disclaimer: Last time I checked I didn't own it. I'm pretty sure I don't today either. Maybe tomorrow though.

* * *

They met in the shadows. Yes, technically they met after the thief had plunged a knife into his host's arm but the boy was in too much pain to take notice of the man who had dragged him to his friends. This meeting in the dark is the first notice Ryou has taken of Malik.

Ryou was never afraid of the dark. He embraced it, which is why he figures he can survive here. The teen has heard the pharaoh speak of the shadows before and how he had almost lost his other to it in the duel against Pegasus because the minds who don't control the dark magic aren't strong enough yet here he was, walking through the realm without feeling any pain or darkness.

He isn't whole or in control of his body. No, the spirit is control but Ryou had read long ago that the soul can leave its body and while difficult, he has managed to escape, taking advantage of the spirit's distracted mind. Although if the spirit were to find out, Ryou will be pulled back to his soul room with even more locks on the door.

Ryou wanders in the dark, trying to not pay attention to any particular scene. It doesn't surprise him to see various souls being tormented by fear and sorrow. The crevices of the mind people lock away so well but Ryou knows if he were in their position, he wouldn't want an audience.

However he stops when he sees a man, around his age, simply shrouded in darkness that is stronger than the environment around him. Ryou walks up to him and kneels only recognizing him because of the rare thoughts the spirit would have unprotected. This man is called Malik and has controlled part of Ryou's mind. Something the spirit had regretted for a split second.

Ryou waits patiently until the Egyptian straightens out of his crouched position and looks into brown eyes. Malik seems taken aback at the man in front of him but soon gains his composure.

"Bakura." Malik manages and Ryou nods. "I'm sorry that I caught you up in this."

"It doesn't matter." Ryou brushes the comment aside. "The spirit won't allow our body to remain here too long."

"Are you mad?"

"Yes." Ryou tells the truth but keeps his voice gentle. "You should understand why."

Malik nods and Ryou accepts that as understanding. They are both controlled by darkness though Malik's is self-created but Malik had performed an injustice and had planted himself within Ryou's mind which, though not as powerful as the spirit or Malik's other, had allowed Ryou's body to be controlled by more evil. It isn't something Ryou could forgive easily.

But this man isn't the hateful and confident man who had brainwashed people and controlled a group of rare hunters. No, the man before Ryou is broken, upset, and scared and he isn't sadistic enough to take his frustration out on someone is such a state.

"You're afraid of the dark." Ryou notes instead as the shadows grow stronger and twist around his arms.

"You're not." Malik watches in amazement as the thief's host plays with the shadows before dispelling them from the area. "It has driven people mad before. How?"

"There is nothing to be afraid of in the dark. Every culture has a theory of what hides in the dark but in the stories the light always vanquishes it. The creatures of the dark are the rejected of our minds and our society. They are the evil one but if you think about it, the light is always the one killing. Why should I be afraid of something that loses its life so easily?"

Malik stares at the boy in wonder. He has never heard someone speak of such things with such familiarity and he knows it isn't because of the spirit that possesses the mind. The Egyptian has experienced the same kind of possession yet his fears were amplified when his soul had been sent to the shadows. Ryou instead seems to welcome the frightening thing into his life.

"I should go." Ryou turns to leave after a drawn out silence. "The spirit will notice my absence soon."

He begins to take steps away from the boy and Malik can feel the darkness closing in so he reaches out and grabs Ryou's arm to prevent him from leaving. The teen turns back to Malik and brown eyes, that the Egyptian realizes aren't soft, as many believe, but instead reflect someone who knows too much about the world, meet frightened violet.

"Don't leave." Malik finds himself asking with a weakness he hasn't experienced since he was a child.

"I can't promise to stay long." Ryou says but sits next to the tomb keeper anyway. "One of us will have to leave eventually."

Malik nods and Ryou pulls the boy close. He hasn't forgiven the man but Ryou understands how he feels so, for now, he will protect him, and keep the darkness at bay until Malik can gather his strength and become a light to dispel his greatest fear.

* * *

A/N: I don't really know what this is. My version of how the two would start their friendship? I do think they would make great friends because they would understand each other but it would also be a broken friendship because Malik did kind of you know, control his mind and what a better place to start their broken friendship within the shadows/shadow realm? This was actually inspired by the part in the manga where Malik is all like "No one fears the dark as much as me."

I don't know what else to say. I hope it makes sense. Reviews are always welcome :)


End file.
